Common mistakes learners make at B1 level in German

At B1 level German, learners often make mistakes related to word order, case usage, and verb forms. One of the most frequent errors is incorrect placement of verbs in subordinate clauses. For example, instead of saying "Ich denke, dass er kommt," some learners mistakenly say "Ich denke, dass er kommt ist."

Another common mistake is confusing dative and accusative cases, especially with two-way prepositions like "auf" or "in." Misusing past tenses is also a typical issue. Many learners use Präteritum incorrectly in spoken German when they should use Perfekt instead (e.g., saying "Ich ging ins Kino" instead of "Ich bin ins Kino gegangen").

Additionally, many struggle with reflexive verbs, forgetting whether to use "mich" or "mir." Pronunciation errors, particularly with umlauts (ä, ö, ü) and consonants like "ch" or "r," are also quite common. Being aware of these mistakes and actively working to correct them will help learners advance their proficiency in B1 level German.